Tied Tests in Cricket History: 1960 Madras and 1986 Madras — Only Two in 150 Years
In the entire history of Test cricket, only two matches have finished in an exact tie — both happened to be played in India. The first was the 1960 Brisbane Test between Australia and West Indies (not India). The second was the 1986 Madras Test between India and Australia. In a tied Test, both teams' second innings totals are exactly equal, and no wickets are in hand. The probability of a tied Test is approximately 1 in 1,200 matches.
In approximately 2,400 Test matches played between 1877 and 2024, exactly two have finished in a tie — meaning both teams' totals were exactly equal at the end of the match with all wickets down. A tied Test is different from a draw: in a draw, time runs out; in a tie, both teams are all out for identical second-innings totals.
The 1960 Brisbane Tied Test
The first tied Test was played at Brisbane (not Madras) in December 1960 between Australia and West Indies, captained by Richie Benaud and Frank Worrell respectively. Australia needed 233 to win in the fourth innings. They were 6/233 with last pair Richie Benaud (52) and Ian Meckiff at the crease when Meckiff was run out on the last ball of the final over to tie the match at 737 runs apiece. Alan Davidson scored 44 and 80 in the match and took 5/135 and 6/87 — one of the finest all-round Test performances. The match is considered one of the greatest Tests ever played.
The 1986 Madras Tied Test
The second tied Test was at Madras (now Chennai) in September 1986 between India and Australia. Dean Jones scored 210 for Australia in extreme heat and humidity — he was vomiting and suffering severe dehydration by the end but continued batting at the instruction of captain Allan Border. Australia set India 348 to win. India were 347/9 when last man Maninder Singh was out lbw for 0 off the last ball, giving Australia a tie. The last ball outcome meant both teams finished on 347 in their respective second innings.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there only two tied Tests in 150 years of cricket, and is the probability of a tie truly as low as 1 in 1,200?
Statistical analysis of tied Tests in cricket. The rarity of tied Tests (2 in ~2,400 matches, or ~0.08%) can be understood through probability theory. For a tie to occur: (1) the fourth innings must reach a conclusion (not be abandoned for rain, time, or a win); (2) both teams must score exactly the same total in their combined first-innings and second-innings scores... actually more precisely, Team B's fourth-innings total must exactly equal the deficit they were chasing. The probability depends on several factors: the run range at the end of a match (a team chasing 300+ runs can finish on any number from 0 to 300+, giving a 1/300 probability of an exact tie simply from run distribution alone); however, matches don't reach the final wicket at a random score — there's clustering around certain targets and certain run totals. Academic analysis (CricInfo statistical analysis, 2010): using historical fourth-innings totals, the estimated probability of any given Test match ending in an exact tie is approximately 0.1–0.2% (1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000). With ~2,400 Tests played, expectation would be approximately 2.4–4.8 tied Tests. The observed 2 is consistent with the lower end of this range. The longer answer: Tied Tests are rare partly because fourth innings rarely end with the batting side exactly matching the target — they either win (exceed it) or lose (fall short). The precision required for an exact tie requires last-wicket scenarios with near-zero margin, as in both historical ties.